


Pool Parties, Booze, and Kids: A Short Story in Domesticity

by Eavans



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Adoption, Cute Kids, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 15:15:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4671410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eavans/pseuds/Eavans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After an invitation from one of Phil’s old Uni friends turns out to be a pool party for his 4 year old son, the topic of kids comes up. And neither of them are really afraid to hold back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pool Parties, Booze, and Kids: A Short Story in Domesticity

**Summary:** After an invitation from one of Phil’s old Uni friends turns out to be a pool party for his 4 year old son, the topic of kids comes up. And neither of them are really afraid to hold back. 

 **Genre:** Domestic fluff

 **Word Count:**  4k

 **Warnings:** swearing

 **A/N:** This idea just kind of came up after a pool party I went to (are pool parties even a thing in the uk idek). Set some time in the summer of 2014, based on the assumption the book/tour was already an idea in their head. First fic so comments are majorly appreciated?? Anyways, hope you enjoy :’)

***

The summer that year seemed to be exceptionally – and unbearably – hot.

And Phil was not passing up a chance at a pool.

“ _Phil_.” Dan leaned on the Phil’s doorway, arms crossed and eyebrows strung up. “I don’t exactly want to go to this ‘party’. _Who is it even for anyways?_ ”

Phil sat on the carpet next to his bed and groped through his dresser, searching for the swimming trunks that hadn’t seen the light of day in god knows when. “I told you it’s for an old school friend.” He was too focused on finding them to focus much on Dan’s whining.

“Yeah, but who?”

“Garrett.” _1...2..._

“Who _the fuck_ is Garrett?” 

“Old roommate of mine.” Dan remained silent. “He married a few years ago and it’s his son’s birthday. I declined the wedding invitation because we we’re busy moving, and I haven't seen him in years.” He turned to see Dan with his arms at his side. “I really want to see him Dan.”

He smiled a little at Phil’s thoughtfulness, always Phil to have the close friends for life. “Yeah, alright. I’m not getting in a pool full of grimy kids though. No way.”

“Wear short so you can wade?” Phil suggested, a smirk playing slightly at his lips.

“I’ll bring a pair in case. That’s it.” 

Phil couldn’t hide the childish grin as Dan left the room to find the – equally lost – swim shorts. Dan in a pool full of children? He’d _pay_ for that. Secretly he wished Dan would stop this ‘I’m opposed to children’ thing though, _he just doesn’t want things to change_ , he told himself. _Dan want’s kids as much as me, right?_

___

The trip to Reading was smoother than expected, a few fans bumped into them amicably enough, nothing unusual. (“ _I can’t wait to read the theories on this. How off will they be? I don’t want to know actually._ ”) 

When they arrived at the house (“ _More of a mansion, huh?_ ” “He married well.” “ _Ooh posh drama._ ”), the party had already started a few hours previously, and they were welcomed to the backyard with a raucous of lightly tanned couples and a herd of half dressed toddlers. 

“Oh Phil!” A thinly bearded, red haired man made his way from a table and gave him a hug, a smile so wide between the two Dan couldn’t help but laugh a little as well. 

“Garrett!” Phil exclaimed, turning to shake the hand of a dark, curly haired woman. “I’ve missed you so much! How are things?”

“Busy, busy,” he nodded. “This is my wife Estelle. Have you two met?” Garrett added a little unsure.

“No, I don’t think we have. I’m Phil, went to Uni with Garrett.” He then gestured next to him “and this is my friend Dan.” Dan kept the cheesy, now half assed smile on as he shook Estelle’s and then Garrett’s hand. After all this time, he’d have thought it would be a little less awkward. But as the years wore on, “friend’ seemed less and less applicable for what they were, and it hurt to have that comparison blew up for everyone to see when having to be formally introduced. It wasn’t that being friends wasn’t good enough for Dan, but these adult get togethers where starting to house a startling amount of married couples, and god forbid – new parents. ‘My friend Dan’ just sounded lame when they were in this 5 years on; he didn’t really see himself with anyone _but_ Phil in the future, to be quite honest.

“So how’s London treating you?” Garrett sipped from some imported beer Dan had never seen. “Missed you at the wedding. You got the birth announcement for George though?” It was obvious the man was excited to see Phil, the energy palpable as he took his wife's hand. “Another one coming! Girl this time, We’d love for you two to come to shower next month, If you’re not too busy. Oh right, London! How is it?”

Phil positively gleamed with the energy from his old friend, raising his hand to hide his grin so much Dan restrained himself from pulling it back multiple times. _Is he nervous?_ It was cute, seeing Phil so particular with people his age for once, making small talk on housing and kitchenware. Non-YouTube things. Perhaps boring things, but now that Dan thought about it, all those things seemed like a blessing of calm. _Is this what it’s like?_ He couldn’t remember the last time he was with people outside of YouTube, much less a group of people outside of YouTube. 

It was at the topic of children that Dan tittered. He really needed to stop this, he could tell Phil saw the discomfort on him, and it only made him more uneasy. Kids were something for later on. _When?_ Who knew. But situations like this only stressed that time was running out for both of them, and he wouldn’t miss it. _So when was it?_

“I’m going to get a drink Phil. Want one?”

“Oh they’re in a red cooler by the steps. Want me to show you where?” Garrett turned to lead the way.

“Oh no, it’s fine. I see it,” he lied. “Thank you though.” 

“Yeah, I’ll have one. Whatever you want.” Phil frowned slightly as he watched Dan navigate the murky waters of couples conversing as he searched for the cooler. 

“He alright?”

“Yeah, it’s just – weird for us I suppose.” He trailed off. _Were Garrett and Estelle people he could trust?_ He had barely just met Estelle but she seemed sweet enough, he trusted Garrett’s discretion as well, and by the looks of it he’d accept that shower invitation. They were “good folk” as his grandfather would say. Maybe later. He decided to lay off the beer for the rest of the night after the one Dan had gotten for him. Loose lips sink ships, after all. The conversation tensed for a half second as the remark registered with the two, they fell silent and smiled awkwardly. He didn’t know how much they grasped, or if they grasped anything at all (most people had _some_ sneaking suspicion), so he ignored it. _Dan should take notes_ he thought wryly. 

“So when is your girl due?”

___

Dan slipped past couples as he tried to locate the red cooler. Without making eye contact he smiled faintly, to who, he didn’t know; no one was paying much attention to him anyways. He laughed slightly at the thing of it all. _A group of people not clabbering at him to get a selfie or make eye contact?_ It was… _weird_ … after everything the past few years. Nice, but weird. 

Opening the cooler he found next to a bobbish blonde, inside his fears became a reality. Import beers he hadn’t a clue about. Grabbing two green labelled ones he picked at random, he attempted to make his way back to Phil. 

But before he could close the plastic lid, a boy shorter than his knee stood in the only easy passage back to the party, shoulders back and eyes shot up above.

“You’re tall.” He was maybe 4, dark haired with a tinge of titian.

“Yeah I am.” Dan stared at the boy, waiting a little uneasily for the kid to move. He didn’t want to have to physically place him to the side, but if worst came to worst –

“I like your shoes.” Chubby fingers pointed at plain black converse.

That caused Dan a small amusement. “They’re just converse, but yeah, they’re cool.”

“I like black. Mummy says it’s sad.” 

This time Dan laughed. “Sad? Hardly.” He bent down to the boys eye level, placing the perspirating glasses next to him cautiously on the cement. “It keeps things clean. Don’t have to wash all the time.” He added as an afterthought, “also pretty classy.” 

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Dan.” He smiled tentatively. “ What’s your name?”

“George. I’m 4 today.” He stuck up four fingers. _Ah – the birthday boy in the flesh_. “I want to go swimming.” George’s eyes lit up as his grin spread from ear to ear. “Daddy’s talking. Can you go with me please?”

“L-Like watch you?” _No_.

“Daddy swims with me.” 

“Er-”

As Dan looked at the toddler, his eyes a bright cerulean and a flush reminiscent of his own strawberry patch, it was kinda hard to refuse. He couldn’t believe he was actually debating this, not a second after shutting the whole idea down. Swimming in a pool with a kid he didn’t even know? As he looked down at the water, he noticed few adults – most seemed to be talking and letting the lifeguard take care of the 15-odd tots. _Wait, a lifeguard? How well off were these people?_

“I’ll watch you alright?” Dan licked licked his lips awkwardly. It was probably close to 30° now that he thought about it, and the water looked incredibly inviting. Nobody would notice if he went in anyways, right? The rest of the adults were in various stages of bathing suit-undress, I mean him and Phil were definitely the most out of the picture – _fuck_ – Phil was in a button down. _I thought he was going to get in the water?_ he thought bitterly. _After he was the one to bully me about it?_

George frowned and bobbed his little curls, shoulders sagging and hands already reaching to Dan. “Ple-ease?” The end of the world was etched onto the toddlers premature face. “I wanna big person like you to help.”

“Oh– oh _alright_. I need to change though.” _He was actually doing this_. “I’ll be back”

“I’ll be a-waiting!” He flashed two thumbs up along with a toothy grin.

Forgetting the beers he offered to get, Dan now walked briskly back to the trio, unzipping the backpack on Phil’s shoulders to get the towel and shorts out. 

“Dan?” Phil turned but Dan had expected it, shifting parallel to him once again as he got the last of it out. “What are you doing? _Wait are you swimming?_ ”

He hadn’t expected that level of incredulity. A sudden flush bloomed on his cheeks, and he thanked every god out there that he could hide behind the space bag. “Uh, it’s a long story.”

“Where’s my drink?”

“Oh right.”

___

Phil watched as Dan went up the side steps to the balcony bathroom, his mint towel dragging slightly on the wood. 

“Is he all right?” Estelle asked, clearly concerned.  

“Yeah, didn’t think he’d get in the pool to be honest though.” Phil took a deep breath. “He’s been kind of awkward about kids recently. Adult stuff. Don’t blame him though. He’s still in the first half of his twenties, I guess just settling down scares him.” It was tactless, but it was nice to talk to someone about it, and he felt he could trust them. They hadn’t an inkling the life they lived, and to Phil sometimes that was a good trait with picking friends. If need be, they wouldn’t tell anyone anything. 

They didn’t seem to catch on though.

“Well one of these days one of you’ll move out, so I say just enjoy the time you have together. Remember our days?” Garrett laughed and ran his hand along his wife’s arm. “You were so good at keeping people calm–”

___

Dan walked uneasily into the pool, his shirt (he had decided to keep that on, _thank you very much_ ) hem getting darker and darker, heavier and heavier. He hadn’t been submerged in water like this in years, the sensation new and refreshing around his usually tightlaced legs.

“HEY!” George ran along the side, trying to keep up with him.

The lifeguard caught sight of the boy and yelled from her chair. “No running!” 

It did little to deter the adults, who continued talking like there wasn't just a yell that could span 10+ meters.

Dan turned to the woman. “No it’s alright he’s looking for me. Sorry.” A splash of water made any remark the lifeguard had unintelligible though, as the boy plunged feet first, hitting Dan with a wave of water. “Aghh” The moment was over as fast as it came, and instinctively he reached out for the boy, holding him above water as the toddler laughed and bobbed along with the pulsing water. “Oh you're not too heavy, are you?” George clung to him, tugging at his shirt sleeve as Dan rested him on his knee and held him with one arm. “This is more comfortable, huh?”

He looked over at the smiling boy, pressing his cheek to his face. _Is this too close for someone’s kid I’ve never met until today? Fuck it, no ones here that would care._

It suddenly struck Dan watching the frazzled guard that the high attendance of adults neglecting their children in favor of a drink was somewhat insulting. He could count the amount of kids in the shallow area playing alone on his left hand, and that was 5 fingers too high. 

“Why don't their parents come play with them? Your parents are hosts, so I guess that’s alright, but–,” 

He didn’t say it to anyone in particular, but George scrunched up his lips and shrugged. He reached out and pointed at Dan’s dripping hair, pointing back at his own. “Your hair is like mine!” 

“Oh–”

“Mummy!” He stuck his sopping head into the crook of Dan's neck. “Mummy has my hair. So do you. You can be my other mummy.”

Now that he thought about it, maybe a pool wasn’t the best choice for keeping his hair straight. Holding the boy though, Dan didn’t really care that much, and he felt hot pinpricks edge the corners of his eye. George’s warmth kept the cold at bay, and the gentle swaying of the two of them was calming. He decided to play along with it, careful not to blink as the tears would burn. “Mummy? How am I your mummy?”

The toddler didn’t answer though, much to Dan’s disappointment. He wasn’t sure what he expected really – the boy could barely string intelligible sentences – how was he to explain the intricacies of motherhood and how it pertained to the stranger holding him? Instead George looked back up at the chilled, pale face above and focused on the little splashes made by Dan, face intent and happy. “Is this fun George?” The boy gurgled in affirmation, a soft “yeah” behind the smile.

The sun was starting to set when Dan decided it might finally be time to get out, he was frankly a bit cold and he didn’t want to tire the birthday boy out _too_ much. “Hey George, you want to get out and I can make you some hot chocolate or something? We can hang out over in grass or something. I can get us a blanket to get warm.”

“One more.”

“One more around?”

“U-huh.”

Dan didn’t know why kids were such a touchy topic for him, snaking his fingers around George’s curly hair and pressing so the water drained down his fingertips, he started his round about the pool one last time. He would take the kid home with him in the drop of a hat if allowed, hell the bouncing, bubbly tot was the cutest thing Dan had ever saw. He didn’t really want to think about the actual reason at the moment though, playing with a friends child wasn’t exactly the same as raising his own. No, deciding to adopt to a kid was a commitment, _a big fucking commitment._

And yet – did he really fear it anymore? He always wanted to be a father – but that was in the future…

When was the future? 

It seemed like that question was coming up more often than he wanted to admit.

___

“Oh, I suppose it’s time for cake now, huh. The sun’s setting. I’ll go get George – Where is he anyways?” Estelle got up from the table the three had sat at and looked around. “Oh my he’s in the pool.” 

Both of the men got up now, straining behind heads to get a glimpse of the pool.

“I don’t believe it.” Phil let out an audible breath. As he got closer, he saw Dan holding a boy and wading through the water, an ethereal smile on the former. 

Garrett poked him in the side. “Better be looking for a new flat soon chum. This one’ll be leaving before you can buy a bib that says–”

He ignored his friends quip and walked down the stony stairs, stopping at the edge of the pool. “Dan?”

The duo looked over at Phil at the same time, startled by the sudden noise. “Phil?”

“Er– it’s time to cut the cake.” He watched as Dan’s cheeks ruddied to the same tone as the falling sun, the moisture sticking his messed hair to his forehead like hot glue. “We need George for that.” 

_A gaped mouth._

_A tic of the throat._

_A shake of the head._

“Right, right. Got it. George c’mon, let’s get out, time for cake.” He walked slowly to the steps, the waters reminiscent of a chandelier as the rose colored sky broke like crystals to the boys kicking. “No- George I’ll stay with you. Stop getting me wet.” The boy stopped.

“Oh thank you for playing with him, we’ve been busy.” Estelle held her hands out to take him. Demurely, Dan followed, a fake smile Phil could see on his lips.

“Yeah, Dan thanks.” Garrett caught up to his wife.

“No problem, no problem.” He got up and grabbed for his towel, putting it on a little too high and a little too tight. “He’s sweet.”

“Sure is. We’re lucky.”

“Well, cake time, right?”

___ 

The train back is quiet, the lights are bright and the gentle hum of the tracks lulls him into a light sleep. The chlorine clings to him like smoke and he doesn’t feel like caring what people might see; his head is on Phil’s shoulder and that only makes one ear to hear the plummy ladies voice that next stop _he will_ have to open his eyes and get out. It is an inevitability he doesn't want to come to terms with as Phil lightly nudges his cheek, so he squints through the foot traffic as they get a transfer, and the pattern continues, albeit for a small while.

___

“Dan I know it’s late, but should you be so on me?” He whispered into Dan’s free ear.

“What time is it?”

“Near 1.”

“Who knew a 4 year old’s birthday could be such a rave.”

Phil laughed a little, ignoring his previous concern and resting his head on Dan’s for a few seconds before putting it back up. _No one would be here that knew them_. “Did you see how many people had apparently been on holiday? They all looked like greek sun bronzed gods.” 

It was Dan’s turn to chuckle, easing a little at the conversation. “Yeah that was insane. Did you notice how many just forgot about their kids? That poor lifeguard.” He was going to call Phil out on abandoning him in the pool, but he didn’t feel like inflicting his voice high enough to make it a joke, so he stayed silent. Together they lay in the hummed, taciturn conversation of the other passengers, grateful for the quiet as the train stopped at their station. 

“I didn’t get to talk to you much today. After the cake I just kind of wanted to get home.”

“S’all right” He grabbed their bag and helped Dan up. “C’mon let’s get home so we can sleep. I’m tired too. Too many people.”

“Agreed.”

___

Phil changed into light pyjama shorts as he waited for Dan to come in, laying across his bed starfished, sleep threatening with every blink. Soon enough the little space left next to him was occupied with a muggy body, and he moved over, not wanting to catch the heat. “This damn house gets so hot.”

“You should buy an air con or something, god knows why we haven’t. PJ and Sophie have like two. And it doesn’t even get that hot up there.”

“I’ll look into it tomorrow. Probably good for next year.”

“Yeah.”

It’s a more comfortable silence after the long day than the train, and they lay next to each other, staring at the ceiling.

“You looked really cute with George today.”

“Did I?” ****Dan moved a little next to him.

“Yeah, I wish I had gotten a photo or something. You’d be a really good dad I think.”

“I was thinking about that.”

“Being a dad?” Phil couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I think I did well with him. He really liked me.” Dan placed an arm on top of his head. “I really liked him too. Kinda wanted to take him home to be honest. Called me mummy. Don’t know why.” He laughed shakily.

“He probably called you mummy because you cared for him. Also you want kids, so I guess that’s just natural right?” He held his breath waiting for a response.

“Yeah. It’s just–”

“Just–?”

“I don't know.” 

Silence. 

“Can we have kids Phil?” It came out a little higher pitched than Dan usually sounded, and he turned over to face Phil a little faster than he would have normally. His mouth was open akin to when Phil found him in the pool earlier, gaping, as if the air in the room was not enough to keep him conscious. “I’m not saying next month or anything, but like – I’d always thought we’d have some one day and – and – _I want that someday to be soon._ Like I want to start thinking about it, _really_ thinking about it.” There were tears in Dan’s eyes, and the pink of his lips were bitten cavernously until there was a deep amaranth mark surrounding the bottom. “I think I just wrote kids off as being annoying to hide the fear of growing up. But it doesn't seem too bad anymore. I still want to work a little longer on career stuff too, but I think after everything settles down two or three years down the road…”

“We just renewed the lease.”

“We can stay another year after that too. We’ll have to. But after?”

“We could do that.”

Dan’s eyes widened. “Like a house? You’re okay with getting a house? I mean I know you've wanted to settle down a little for the past couple years but you've had to deal with me–”

“I don't _deal_ with you Dan. I'd never resent you for wanting to live your life – or god forbid leave you for it. And yeah, we’d have to save up, but I want a house too. I could garden–”

He looked over the blank television, the widest, realist grin Phil had seen on him in a long. “You know we should get a dog first. I can’t believe we can’t have pets here wait if we had a garden we could so get a dog.” 

“Love, you’re slurring sentences together. We should sleep.” Phil raised his arms up to catch Dan’s hands in his own. Inside he was elated, absolutely elated. _A future? Together?_ He wanted to stop the few tears forming at his eyes but he was too tired to care – it blurred Dan’s soft face like a window after the rain, his eyes the city lights and his rose lips the cars that wouldn’t stop.

“Are you crying?”

“Yes, because I love you and I didn’t think I’d hear this today.” Phil was exhausted, his eyes just tiny apertures by this point. He snuggled up to Dan’s entwined hands, kissing them softly. “We still have a lot to go through until this happens so just, sleep – for me? Tomorrow I can scream out the window the excitement I have knowing I’m going to be with you forever, and kiss you on every inch of your humid body because you will be the father of our child, but know that now all I want to do is hold you against me despite this awful weather and suck the chlorine straight off your lips."

"You sure have a way with words when you're half asleep, Lester"

"That chlorine is gonna burn your teeth out if you don't get over here, _Lester_."

"Was that a proposal?"

"Get over here."


End file.
